I guess I wouldn't know how to answer it other than, I think that these things would probably come about without Smith's existance. It's just that Smith represents what happens when humans invent currencies, and become greedy, and focus their lives on the gain of material "wealth". He not only invented capitalism. But he has become what it all really is. He epitomizes the rat-race that he created in his works.

You should read this article from the sunday NY times that messenjah showed me, Dr. Chen from Harvard I believe, taught monkeys how to use money. There were many cases of stealing, and even a case of paying for sex. Doesn't say much for the mathematical genius that invests. Doesn't say much for almost all of the human race today does it?

quote:For example, take the current topic, do you think it is a reasonable argument that if God created Smith then ultimately it is God who we should thank for your list, or should we be thanking Eve for eating that fruit?

God allows human suffering, doesn't he?

Why would a benevolent creator allow for this?

I think he gave us our chance to do good. For altruism. But we were incapable of doing so, we did everything in my post, that is what the fruit most likely represents. Our inability to do good for eachother.

quote:Also, don't you think that you need to look at the influences on Smith's life and also the people that have improved Smith's original ideas?

It's less about him, he's just the title for what is apparent.

He's just there to represent the beginning stages of capitalism, and of the perpetuation of the collection of money, trade, and materialism.

Doesn't say much for the mathematical genius that invests. Doesn't say much for almost all of the human race today does it?

Collectively, the words and ideas of the human race are the summation of progress.

We need to remain optimistic.

We can't act like Solomon in Ecclesiastes. He may well have been right in his conclusions, but in an educational setting, I believe that we should be encouraged to talk about silver linings and not clouds.

I was birthed in fundamentalism, though not so much creationism as you were.

They say that an expert at counterfeit money becomes an expert, not by studying counterfeit money but by studying real money.

I used to have disdain for atheistic thinking, but one thing that my friends who are not believers have taught me is that if I wish to be a good Christian apologist, I would do well to study the culture of Christianity rather than the culture of atheism and freethinking.

Its like you said once, though. I believe because I was touched---not because I was brainwashed. Keep up your studies, dood.